Man pleads guilty to crime-spree charges

Although he claims not to remember the events of that night, Evan Lambe pleaded guilty in provincial court in St. John’s Monday to charges against him for a crime spree he went on in October.

Evan Lambe is led from provincial court on Monday after pleading guilty to several charges linked to a crime spree on Oct. 29, 2013. — Photo by Josh Pennell/The Telegram

It was a Tuesday night when Lambe, then 23, first robbed beer from a St. John’s Ultramar gas station. He then went downtown to the Celtic Hearth restaurant, where he had a meal and took off without paying.

The most serious of his crimes came after that incident when he got aboard a cab. Instead of paying, Lambe put a pocket knife to the driver’s throat and demanded cash and cigarettes, reportedly getting away with just a few bills and change.

At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Lambe told the court how he had been jumped last August, a couple of months before the crime spree.

He said he was severely beaten, had been in a coma for a week and spent a month in hospital. He came out with metal plates in his face and head and with a prescription for anxiety medication.

The date of the crime spree — Oct. 29 — Lambe said he started taking his anxiety medication heavily and consumed a couple of dozen beer throughout the day before committing the crimes later that night. He said in court he has no recollection of any of it, but was pleading guilty anyway.

Lambe said he has only a Grade 7 education, is addicted to alcohol and morphine, and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia twice.

He also said he is committed to entering a program to get help with addiction issues.

The Crown made considerable arguments for Lambe getting five to six years for his actions, stating that Lambe had a history of breaking the law that predated his stay in the hospital and that couldn’t be used as a reason for doing what he did.

An impact statement was also read from the cab driver whose throat Lambe admitted to putting a knife to. In it, the cab driver spoke of having his first experience of fearing for his life the night he was robbed by Lambe.

The defence argued for a shorter sentence of three to 3 1/2 years.

There is a co-accused who is implicated with Lambe from the night in question.

Sarah Eisnor, 29, appeared in provincial court with Lambe on Oct. 31, 2013, and was charged with armed robbery, fraudulently obtaining food and theft under $5,000.

She is not facing the charge of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, as Lambe did. Eisnor’s matter is still before the courts.

Lambe will be sentenced on March 7.

josh.pennell@thetelegram.com

Evan Lambe is led from provincial court on Monday after pleading guilty to several charges linked to a crime spree on Oct. 29, 2013. — Photo by Josh Pennell/The Telegram

"consumed a couple of dozen beer " How was he still standing??? Too many of our youth taking the wrong road of life. At some point there won't be enough good working people to pay for the care of bad dirtbags.